Tailings conveyor system

ABSTRACT

An agricultural harvesting machine includes a tailings conveyor housing. The agricultural harvesting machine provides a cleaning device for cleaning threshed and separated grain. The tailings conveyor housing collects tailings from the cleaning device and propels the tailings with a first impeller against a first rethreshing member and radially to a second impeller. The second impeller propels the tailings against a second rethreshing member and radially to a third impeller. The third impeller propels the tailings against a third rethreshing member and radially through the second opening and past a baffle, where the tailings are redirected back to the cleaning device and spread out over the cleaning device.

BACKGROUND

The present invention herein relate generally to an agriculturalharvesting machine and more particularly to a conveyor for tailingsmaterial in an agricultural harvesting machine.

Typically, an agricultural harvesting machine gathers crop from a fieldand transports the crop by means of a feeder house to a threshing andseparating device located inside the agricultural harvesting machinesuch as a combine. The threshing and separating device delivers the cropto the cleaning system of the combine, which includes a plurality ofsieves. An upper sieve allows clean grain and some material other thangrain (MOG) to fall through it, and a lower sieve is adjusted so thatonly clean grain is allowed to pass through it. The material includingthe clean grain and MOG that falls through the upper sieve, but does notpass through the lower sieve, is called tailings. This material needs tobe conveyed through the combine to be threshed and/or cleaned again.

Prior methods accomplish the threshing and/or cleaning of the tailingsby conveying it to one side of the combine with an auger. The tailingsis then carried by a conveyor, typically a paddle and chain conveyor,back to the combine threshing mechanism. Some combines have used arethreshing device which is separate from the threshing system whichhelps save capacity on the threshing system by rethreshing the tailingsseparately from new crop coming into the combine. The auger feedsmaterial into the rethreshing device and then the material is conveyedback to the cleaning system. Both single impeller/blowers and augershave been used to convey this material back to the cleaning system.These rethreshing devices are usually convertible, enabling the operatorto manipulate the machine to be more or less aggressive, depending onthe vulnerability of the grain to damage, during processing.

Prior methods for conveying the tailings material are inefficient interms of throughput capacity and power consumption. Some knownembodiments have resulted in large conveying devices that tend to limitaccess to both the combine and the conveying device for maintenance andconversion.

Therefore, what is needed is a more efficient means for conveyingtailings, which allows greater access to the device and the combine,while performing the rethreshing function.

SUMMARY

One embodiment, accordingly, provides a triple impeller tailingsconveyor which permits greater access and improves efficiency. To thisend, a tailings conveyor includes a housing having a first opening. Afirst impeller is adjacent the first opening for receiving the tailings.A second impeller is positioned radially from the first impeller so thatthe tailings are propelled radially from the first impeller to thesecond impeller. A third impeller is located above the second impeller.A third impeller sits inside of a secondary housing at an angle to thesecond impeller that is defined by the geometry of the combine. Thethird is positioned relative to the top point of the second impellerwith the exit point of the material being the side of the combine. Thethird impeller may rotate opposite of the bottom two impellers. As analternative, the third impeller may rotate the same direction as the twobottom impellers. A second opening is provided in the housing radiallyadjacent to the third impeller so that the tailings are propelled fromthe third impeller through the second opening and into the side of thecombine.

A principal advantage of this embodiment is that the tailings conveyorprovides a more efficient means for conveying the tailings which allowsgreater access to the device and the combine, while performing therethreshing function.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an embodiment of the major componentsof an agricultural harvesting machine.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed view of the harvesting machine of FIG. 1depicting an embodiment of a tailings conveyor housing within themachine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the housing of FIG. 2including a feed auger.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tailings conveyor housing of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the tailings conveyor housing of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a frontal view of the tailings conveyor housing of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, an agricultural harvesting machine 10,incorporating the principles of the instant invention, has a header 12,a reel 14, and a feeder 16. Crop material is collected by header 12 andreel 14 and taken into agricultural harvesting machine 10 through feeder16 in a conventional manner.

A threshing assembly 18 includes a rotor 20 and a perforated housing 22.Rotor 20 is rotated within perforated housing 22. Crop is received fromfeeder 16 and is passed through clearances between rotor 20 andperforated housing 22 to thresh grain. Grain which is threshed in theclearances between housing 22 and rotor 20 falls through theperforations in housing 22 and is transported to a chaffer sieve 26 anda shoe sieve 28. Chaffer sieve 26 and shoe sieve 28 are members thatoscillate back and forth. Sieves 26 and 28 have a plurality of aperturesfor allowing the properly threshed grain to fall through. A blower 30blows air through sieves 26 and 28 and out the rear of agriculturalharvesting machine 10. Chaff will be blown outward along with the air.The clean grain falls through sieves 26 and 28 onto an inclined plane32. Clean grain travels along a plane 32 and then through a grainelevator 34, to a grain storage area 36.

Grain and material other than grain (MOG), which is too heavy to becomeair borne and falls through chaffer sieve 26 but does not pass throughshoe sieve 28 is called tailings. Tailings end up on a plane 38 and arerethreshed and conveyed in a tailings conveyor 40 back up to chaffersieve 26.

As in best seen in FIGS. 2-6, the tailings conveyor 40 includes ahousing 42, a first opening 44, a first impeller 46, a second impeller48, a third impeller (72) and a second opening 50. The first and secondimpellers 46 and 48, respectively, rotate on shafts, which havesubstantially parallel axes. The third impeller (72) may rotate theopposite direction or as alternative in the same direction as the bottomtwo impellers (72) and (72) respectively.

The housing 42 receives the tailings by means of an auger 54, asdepicted in FIG. 3. Auger 54, as shown FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, has an axis ofrotation about a shaft 56 and first impeller 46 has an axis of rotationabout a shaft 58 which is coaxial with shaft 56. Thus, the first opening44 is aligned with the first and second shafts 56 and 58. As analternative however, the first opening 44 can be offset at 44 a, asshown in FIG. 6, from the shaft 58 so that the tailings are deliveredadjacent a tip portion 46 a of impeller 46.

The blades 47, FIGS. 4 and 6, of the first impeller 46, the blades 49 ofthe second impeller 48 and the blades of the third impeller 72 arecurved or arcuate. As such, each blade 47 has a concave surface 47 a anda convex surface 47 b. Similarly, each blade 49 has a concave surface 49a and a convex surface 49 b. Tailings 60 are propelled by rotatingcontact with the convex surfaces 47 b and 49 b of each impeller 47 and49, respectively.

The impellers 46, 48 and the second opening 50, FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, areradially in-line. That is, tailings 60 which enter housing 42 at opening44, or 44 a, are propelled radially from first impeller 46 to theradially adjacent second impeller 48. The tailings 60 are then propelledradially from second impeller 48 to the radially adjacent third impellerthrough second opening 50, as controlled by the geometry of the housing,after which, the third impeller 72 delivers the material to the conduit52, after which the tailings 60 are directed by the conduit 52 to aconduit exit baffle 62, which functions as a means for spreading thetailings 60 as they exit the conduit 52.

The tailings 60 are also propelled by first impeller 46 against a firstremovable threshing plate 64, FIGS. 4 and 6, as the tailings moveradially toward second impeller 48. A common housing wall 66 enhancesthe radial direction of travel from the first impeller 46 to the secondimpeller 48. The second impeller 48 then propels the tailings 60 againsta second removable threshing plate 68 as the tailings 60 move radiallytoward the second opening 50. The third impeller 72 then propels thetailings against a third removable threshing plate. The direction ofmaterial flow is governed by the primary and secondary housings. Aremovable plate 80 is also depicted in FIG. 6.

The preferred rotation for both bottom impellers is clockwise. Thepreferred rotation of the top impeller is counter clockwise, howeverclockwise will also suffice. The arcuate blade shape causes a moreaggressive threshing of material and forces the material to the outsideof the impeller faster, which increases conveying capacity. Theremovable threshing plates may have a rough surface or be replaced byplates, which are smooth depending on the material being processed.

Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a widerange of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of theembodiment may be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of theembodiments disclosed herein.

1. A tailings conveyor for use in an agricultural harvester comprising:a tailings conveyor housing; a first opening in the tailings conveyorhousing; a first impeller in the tailings conveyor housing adjacent thefirst opening, whereby tailings are delivered through the first openingto the first impeller; a second impeller in the tailings conveyorhousing positioned radially from the first impeller, whereby thetailings are propelled radially from the first impeller to the secondimpeller; a third impeller in the tailings conveyor housing positionedradially and angularly adjacent to the second impeller, whereby tailingsare propelled radially from the second impeller to the third impeller; asecond opening in the tailings conveyor housing positioned radiallyadjacent to the third impeller, whereby the tailings are propelledradially from the third impeller through the second opening; and aconduit extending from the second opening, whereby the tailings arepropelled radially from the third impeller directly to the conduit viathe second opening.
 2. The tailings conveyor of claim 1, wherein thefirst impeller, the second impeller and the third impeller have arcuateblades.
 3. The tailings conveyor of claim 1, wherein the first openingin the tailings conveyor housing is positioned coaxially with the firstimpeller.
 4. The tailings conveyor of claim 1, wherein the tailings aredelivered through the first opening in the tailings conveyor housing byan auger.
 5. The tailings conveyor of claim 1, wherein the conduitincludes a means for spreading out the tailings as they exit theconduit.
 6. The tailings conveyor of claim 1, wherein the first impellerand the second impeller share a common wall in the tailings conveyorhousing which guides the tailings from the first impeller to the secondimpeller.
 7. The tailings conveyor of claim 1, wherein the tailingsconveyor housing includes removable threshing plates adjacent each ofthe first, second and third impellers, whereby the tailings arerethreshed as they are conveyed through the tailings conveyor housing.8. The tailings conveyor of claim 1, wherein the tailings are propelledfrom the second impeller to the third impeller back into the side of thecombine through the second opening and past the conduit.
 9. Anagricultural harvesting machine comprising: a chassis; a means mountedon the chassis for feeding crop material thereto; a threshing,separating, and cleaning means mounted on the chassis for threshing andseparating grain from the crop material, for cleaning threshed andseparated grain and for separating tailings from the clean grain; atailings conveyor housing mounted on the chassis; a first opening in thetailings conveyor housing; a first impeller in the tailings conveyorhousing adjacent the first opening, whereby the tailings are deliveredthrough the first opening to the first impeller; a second impeller inthe tailings conveyor housing positioned radially from the firstimpeller, whereby the tailings are propelled radially from the firstimpeller to the second impeller; a third impeller in the tailingsconveyor housing positioned radially and angularly to the secondimpeller, whereby tailings are propelled radially from the secondimpeller to the third impeller; a second opening in the tailingsconveyor housing positioned radially adjacent to the third impeller,whereby tailings are propelled radially from the third impeller throughthe conduit via the second opening; and a conduit extending from thesecond opening, whereby the tailings are propelled radially from thethird impeller directly to the conduit via the second opening.
 10. Theharvesting machine of claim 9, wherein the first impeller, the secondimpeller and the third impeller have arcuate blades.
 11. The harvestingmachine of claim 9, wherein the first opening in the tailings conveyorhousing is positioned coaxially with the first impeller.
 12. Theharvesting machine of claim 9, wherein the tailings are deliveredthrough the first opening in the tailings conveyor housing by an auger.13. The harvesting machine of claim 9, wherein the first opening isoffset from an axis of rotation of the first impeller such that thetailings are delivered adjacent a tip portion of the first impeller. 14.The harvesting machine of claim 9, wherein the conduit includes a meansfor spreading out the tailings as they exit the conduit.
 15. Theharvesting machine of claim 9, wherein the first impeller and the secondimpeller share a common wall in the tailings conveyor housing whichguides tailings from the first impeller to the second impeller.
 16. Theharvesting machine of claim 9, wherein the tailings conveyor housingincludes removable threshing plates adjacent each impeller, whereby thetailings are rethreshed as they are conveyed through the tailingsconveyor.
 17. The harvesting machine of claim 9, wherein the thirdimpeller rotates opposite the bottom two impellers, within the tailingsconveyor housing which guides the tailings from the second impeller tothe third impeller and from the third impeller back into the side of theharvesting machine.
 18. A method for conveying tailings in anagricultural harvesting machine comprising the steps of: providing achassis, including a tailings conveyor housing mounted on the chassisand having a first opening in the tailings conveyor housing and a firstimpeller in the tailings conveyor housing adjacent the first opening;delivering tailings through the first opening to the first impeller;propelling the tailings radially from the first impeller to a secondimpeller supported within said tailing conveyor housing and subsequentlyto a third impeller supported within said tailing conveyor housing;further propelling the tailings from the third impeller radially througha second opening; further propelling the tailings from the thirdimpeller radially through a second opening in the tailing conveyorhousing into a conduit in flow communication with the second opening.19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: providing the firstimpeller, the second impeller and the third impeller with arcuateblades.
 20. The method of claim 18 further comprising: positioning thefirst opening in the tailings conveyor housing coaxially with the firstimpeller.
 21. The method of claim 18 further comprising: providing anauger for feeding the tailings through the first opening to the firstimpeller.
 22. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of furtherpropelling in parts sufficient momentum to said tailing to exit theconduit into a storage area, said method further comprising the step of:spreading out the tailings as said tailing exit the conduit.
 23. Anagricultural harvesting machine comprising: a chassis; a tailingsconveyor housing mounted on the chassis; a first opening in the tailingsconveyor housing; a first impeller in the tailings conveyor housingadjacent the first opening, whereby tailings are delivered through thefirst opening to the first impeller; a second impeller in the tailingsconveyor housing positioned radially from the first impeller, wherebythe tailings are propelled radially from the first impeller to thesecond impeller; a third impeller in the tailings conveyor housingpositioned radially and angularly from the second impeller, whereby, thetailings are propelled radially from the second impeller to the thirdimpeller; a second opening in the tailings conveyor housing positionedradially adjacent to the third impeller, whereby the tailings arepropelled radially from the third impeller through the second opening;and a conduit extending from the second opening, whereby the tailingsare propelled radially from the third impeller directly to the conduitvia the second opening.
 24. The harvesting machine of claim 23 whereinthe first, second and third impellers each have arcuate blades, eachblade having a concave surface and a convex surface.
 25. The harvestingmachine of claim 24 wherein the tailings are propelled radially byrotating contact with the convex surfaces of the blades.